As one of the most emblematic figures at the heart of a period when the ''renascent'' soul of modern Europe was taking shape, Leonard de Vinci has been chosen as an appropriate figurehead for the Haute Ecole in an ''emerging'' Europe at the dawn of the 21 st century.

The Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci , like every Haute Ecole, seeks to meet the need for rationalisation araising from a decree of the ''Communauté française de Belgique'' - the authority with responsability for educational policy in French-speaking Belgium'' - of 5 August 1995. Beyond policy however, its creation expresses the determination of the six partners to, togheter, provide quality teaching whilst protecting both the individual character of each Institute and the Christian and Humanistic values they hold in common.

These six Institutes are:

Institut supérieur industriel ECAM

Ecole Normale Catholique du Brabant Wallon

Institut d''Enseignement Supérieur Parnasse - Deux Alice

Institut Libre Marie Haps

Institut Paul Lambin

Institut Supérieur d''Enseignement Infirmier

Since 1994, the six institutes have been working together to develop their common project, creating structures which reflect their desire to decentralize decision-making, whilst taking care to act in harmony with the essential ''spirit'' of the Haute Ecole concept. At the same time, each Institute keeps its own name and mission, maintains its own campus and continues organising its own courses.

The creation of the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci carries with it a real challenge : to have and to maintain a voice in higher education. As a key element in meeting this challenge, the Haute Ecole has been keen to establish a sizeable student body (6,000 students) thus creating a''pool'' of varied courses and qualifications to satisfy the expectations of tomorrow''s society.

Located in Brussels, the capital of Europe, and in the Walloon Brabant, Louvain-la-Neuve and Nivelles, it has already created a network of regional, European and international exchanges which it intends to go on developing in the future. It brings together the complete spectrum of the six subject-areas in which the Haute Ecole sector in Brussels offers courses: economics, paramedicine, teaching, social studies, technology and translation and interpreting.

Operating as an established group, the Haute Ecole wishes to see the expansion and reinforcement of links already forged by each of the six partners with the Université catholique de Louvain. It seeks to promote exchanges between students in the different sectors and among teachers to a maximum.

Finally, the Haute Ecole wishes to be an institution with a pedagogical vision that places the student at the heart of its concerns and is faithful to the pursuit of shared goals, i.e. teaching that aims towards the highest level, applied research, continious education and service to society.

In endeavouring to accomplish these objectives, the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci enjoys the benefits of a number of different, valuable resources :

- a large number of highly motivated and conscientious students

- the commitment and skills of its staff

- synergies established with the professional world

- the cooperation of graduates who guarantee its reputation and especially "animus societatis", a sense of co-operation and shared purpose which has been fostered since 1994. The prime aim of a higher education institution like the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci is to provide initial training for students. Nevertheless, it has set for itself three inter-related aims which ensure that the initial training is retained and built on:



- continued training which responds to the expectations of the professional world by ensuring a continuous updating of the expertise associated with economic, social and technical development,

- applied research and service to the community which enhance the value of the teaching provided by the Haute Ecole by nurturing cooperative relations with society,

- international relations which extend the above-mentioned aims beyond the four walls of our establishment.

These three specific complementary missions guarantee that the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci is part of a permanent learning process which is in tune with society.

For very many years, the partner Institutes within Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci have been active in the domain of continuing education . Their priority involves offering quality initial training to thousands of young people who entrust them with providing their higher education training. However, they are also keen to offer a range of courses in various subject areas to people who are committed to or in the process of re-training for professional life.

These programmes are primarily targeted at graduates of the various partner Institutes within the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci, but also target people who are anxious to achieve greater proficiency in their professional, social and cultural activities within a rapidly changing society. Following the example of its specific approach to initial training, the Haute Ecole ensures that emphasis is placed on continuing education that combines theory with practice.

The Haute Ecole''s links with society and businesses are essential for the Higher Education organised in the Haute Ecole''s establishments when it comes to achieving its goal, i.e. to provide quality education that is appropriate for the real world.

These links are embodied in the research and development activities and the service to the community accomplished mainly in areas linked to the education provided. In particular, these activities involve those responsible for education on subjects that are undergoing rapid change, i.e. the implementation of new technologies, the operation of new modes of social intervention, cultural expression, genetic engineering applications, etc.

Applied research, experimental development and service to the community add a significant dimension to education: they are one of the means by which the teacher can do more than simply pass on previously acquired expertise by ensuring the development of his creativity, which will inevitably have an impact on the prospective graduate''s own creativity.

The partner Institutes within Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci place their pedagogic, scientific and technological potential at the service of society. They have qualified staff who are in touch with the real world and who include a large ''applied'' training component in their courses.

The Institutes promote R&D and service to the community, both of which can directly enhance the value of the teaching they provide. They are generally undertaken in the training areas they organise, such as research into sign language (PROFILS), theoretical and applied research at the Brussels Terminology Centre (CTB) and the long distance courses organised by the Multimedia Centre (ILMH).

It should also be pointed out that the Haute Ecoles based in the Walloon Region (as is the case with the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci) can take advantage of scientific and technical research subsidy schemes organised by the Walloon Government, such as the ''FIRST programme'' (training and impetus for scientific and technological research), the ''WIST programme'' and the ''PIMENT programme''.

Through CERDECAM, the ECAM Research and Development Centre, the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci can propose projects likely to contribute to regional economic development to DGTRE (General Department of Technologies, Research and Energy) at the Ministry of the Walloon Region with a view to obtaining grants that fund a significant part of the direct cost of research that may last several academic years in practice.

The Haute Ecole''s studies provide access to the following professions:

Audiologist

Chemist

Computer Scientist

Dietician

Educator Specialising in social and sport activities

Industrial Engineer - Automation

Industrial Engineer - Electromechanics

Industrial Engineer - Electronics

Industrial Engineer - IT

Industrial Engineer - Construction

The Haute Ecole Léonard de vinci is composed of the following institutes:

INSTITUT SUPERIEUR INDUSTRIEL (E.C.A.M.) BRUXELLES

ECOLE NORMALE CATHOLIQUE DU BRABANT WALLON NIVELLES

ECOLE NORMALE CATHOLIQUE DU BRABANT WALLON LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE

INSTITUT D''ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR PARNASSE - DEUX ALICE BRUXELLES

INSTITUT LIBRE MARIE HAPS BRUXELLES

INSTITUT PAUL LAMBIN BRUXELLES

INSTITUT SUPERIEUR D''ENSEIGNEMENT INFIRMIER BRUXELLES

International relations - Présentation

Located in the heart of Brussels, the capital of Europe, and in the Walloon Brabant, the Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci has committed to achieving the European ideal. Conscious of its international profile, it plays an active role on the international field by promoting studies abroad and integrating the mobility of students and teachers in its training programmes. The Haute Ecole takes part in several cooperation and research projects, with a particular emphasis made on development cooperation. The number of foreign students attending its training programmes is a definite indicator of its international renown. Out of 6000 students, the Haute Ecole welcomes no less than 15% of foreign students through partnerships with more than 30 different countries.

The Haute Ecole Leonard de Vinci constitutes the institutional referent (B BRUXEL 87) of a group of 6 partner schools. Each school usually organises their exchanges according to their own way of working, while complying with the ECTS rules. Requests for information and propositions for partnerships should be made with the international relations department of each school.

Mobility

Through a number of solid and varied partnerships, the Haute Ecole holds a choice position on the international field. In 2003, it has adopted the Erasmus University Charter and has since sealed bilateral agreements with no less than 125 European schools. For the year 2004-2005 only, it welcomed 87 foreign students and sent 130 of its own to its partners. As far as teachers''mobility is concerned, in 2003-2004, the Haute Ecole gave the opportunity to more than 30 of them to go and teach abroad. In addition, it succeeded in developing several special agreements with non-European schools around the world (Burkina-Faso, Canada, USA, Morocco, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Lebanon…).

The Haute Ecole also takes part in the Erasmus Belgica programme created in 2004-2005 by the Prince Philippe Funds. On this occasion 11 bilateral agreements were signed and 14 students were granted scholarship to study in the Flemish Community.

One of the current priorities of the Haute Ecole is to form consortia that will enable it to meet the requirements of the new diploma- and co-certification systems.

In order to facilitate the mobility of its students, the Haute Ecole has also introduced systems such as the "Leonard de Vinci" scholarship system and the international profile certificate.

International partnership activities

Through the work of its schools, the Haute Ecole coordinates an intensive programme (Socrates) called " Le patrimoine européen: outil de découverte interculturelle et valorisation des métiers traditionnels " (The European Heritage as a Tool for Intercultural Discovery and the Development of Traditional Professions) as part of the Jean Monnet Action on the history of European integration. It also takes part in the EU-Canada programme via the "Cross-Cultural Curricular Development in the Radiation Sciences" project and the Léonardo project "Vers une approche de coopération transnationale élargie de l''enseignment a distance du nursing" ( First Steps Towards an Approach of Enlarged Transnational Cooperation Inside Distance Teaching for Nursing) and is an active partner in the Tempus project "Studium für Ü bersetzen/Dolmetschen in Kroatien" (Creation of a translation/interpreting department for the universities of Zagreb and Zadar in Croatia).

Industrial Engineer - Surveying

Interpreter

Lower secondary school teacher

Medical imaging technologist

Medical laboratory technologist

Midwife

Nurse and specializations in nursing

Nursery school teacher

Occupational therapist

Physiotherapist

Podotherapist

Primary school teacher

Psychology Assistant

speech therapist

Translator

Specialization and DESS (Diploma of specialized studies)

Address

Rue Limauge, 14, 1050 Bruxelles

Belgique

E-mail : info@vinci.be

Siege social

Clos Chapelle-aux-champs 43, 1200 Bruxelles

Belgique

Director

Paul GAUTHY

Secretary : Sabrina HENRY

Tél. : 32-2-639.44.18, info@vinci.be

International relations

Institutional Erasmus Coordinator

Mme Monique ZUYDERHOFF

Institutional ECTS Coordinator

Mme Monique ZUYDERHOFF

International relations office for the Haute Ecole

Isabelle HENKINBRANT

Tél. : 32-2-639.44.56, isabelle.henkinbrant@vinci.be

Sabrina HENRY

Tél.: 32-2-639.44.18, sabrina.henry@vinci.be

Each institute of the Haute Ecole has its own international relations office.

Le Conseil des Etudiants de la Haute Ecole

Conseil des Etudiants de la Haute Ecole Léonard de Vinci a.s.b.l.

Clos chapelle au Champs, 41 bte 39/60, B-1200 Bruxelles

Website: www.ceheldv.zzn.com